I’m easily sucked into tradition and all that it entails. This Saturday is the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby and you can bet I’ll be tuned in to the all-day coverage right down until the winner crosses the finishing line. For those of you equally enthralled, you’ll know that the traditional cocktail of the Derby is the mint julep. But have you ever tried one? Wow. Powerful stuff. This year I’m opting for the lighter Lime Derby which just may take a permanent place on my summer cocktail list.

Muddle cucumber in a mixing glass, add mint and bruise. Add remaining ingredients into a mixing glass, fill glass with ice. Shake the ingredients and strain the mixture into a martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a cucumber wheel.

I’m in a major lamp lovin’ phase as of late and this is my favorite of my favorites: the Ceramic Rise & Fall Lamp. Some of you may have noticed this little gem in the last issue of Domino. It caught my eye and there was no going back. You can control the height of the lamp and the concentration of light by adjusting the pulley system. This one’s going to need to be mine at some point.

Black Book is an 800-page overview of design shop Pentagram’s recent work. The book is a compilation of over 400 projects from the last several years, arranged in alphabetical order, like a dictionary, and printed on “Bible paper,” complete with tabbed sections and ribbons for bookmarking. It covers everything from architecture to graphics, buildings to websites, branding to signage, interiors, packaging, exhibitions, interfaces, furniture, products, brochures, magazines, and houses, all in simple picture-and-caption form.

It’s already the end of April which means one thing – April Mad Props! Check out the posts that stuck out in my mind and drop me a link in the comments if there’s one you can’t stop thinking about that I didn’t mention. Happy linking!

I read. A lot. More in the winter when the weather isn’t cooperating, but just a lot in general. My love of books leaves me forever looking for something to mark my place – be it a receipt, a magazine subscription card, or a tissue (unused!). I had a lovely pewter bookmark my grandmother gave me a few Christmases ago, but it went MIA somewhere in the moved from Cleveland to Oklahoma City.

I’m loving these wooden bookmarks from etsy seller Beacon Bookmarks. They look sturdy and are coated with a water-based clear satin finish for protection. I may need to order myself a K.

I’m kind of in love with David Horvitz. At least the idea of the him on his website where he’ll do different things for you for set prices.

Some examples:

• If you give me $1,626 I will go to the small Okinawan island called Taketomi and send you an envelope filled with star-sand (don’t worry, I’ve been there before, I know where to go). I will send it from there.

• If you give me $3,143 I will for as far away as possible. I live in New York. I will go to Perth, Australia the farthest distance from New York on Earth. I will mail you a photograph of me standing in New York. I will then mail you a photograph of me standing in Perth. I’m a little sad right now and I would kind of like to escape, so if you are thinking about getting one of these and not sure what you want, please take in consideration my emotions and pick this one.

• If you give me $30 I will walk around New York, and the first homeless person I see I will buy him or her whatever he or she wants to eat (as long as it is less than $30). I will mail you back the exact change (minus the paypal fee and the cost of the postage stamp) with the receipt for the food and the name of the person who ate it.